1
as in curious
interested in what is not one's own business
as we moved into our new home, we could sense that there were prying eyes watching us
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in busy
thrusting oneself where one is not welcome or invited
prying neighbors who refuse to mind their own business
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in questioning
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
1
as in pulling
to raise, move, or pull apart with or as if with a lever
it took some effort to pry up the trap door
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in yanking
to draw out by force or with effort
a vain attempt to pry the cork out of a wine bottle
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in interfering
to interest oneself in what is not one's concern
don't go prying into other people's business
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of prying
Nicholas Ivor Martin and Jacobina Martin, oregonlive, 4 Feb. 2023
But inquiring into the specifics of familial dynamics is impudent and prying — and a line of questioning that most people would be happy to avoid answering themselves.
—Jacobina Martin, Washington Post, 4 Feb. 2023
The Google Nest Hub (7/10, WIRED Recommends) is a great smart display with no camera (and therefore no risk of unwanted prying eyes).
—Brenda Stolyar and Medea Giordano, WIRED, 28 Nov. 2022
To my mind, however, there’s a difference between a Google or a Facebook, which provide valuable services in return for their prying eyes, and an app that serves a single, ostensibly benign purpose — parking validation.
—Los Angeles Times, 12 Nov. 2021
Carry two phones While anti-spy software may be effective in staving off the prying eyes of the Chinese government, not everyone knows how to install it.
—Jane Li, Quartz, 6 Aug. 2019
Its purpose: to train librarians to implement secure protocols on their own web services, and to teach members of the community to evade the prying eyes of governments, corporations, and criminal hackers.
—Eoin O'Carroll, The Christian Science Monitor, 18 Oct. 2017
One reason Russians have loaded up on passports is that Cypriot citizenship helps them avoid the prying eyes of their government and pay lower taxes.
—Yalman Onaran, Bloomberg.com, 11 May 2017
Jason Sheeler, Condé Nast Traveler, 20 Feb. 2026
But in the quietest corner of the 10-acre sanctuary, away from the public’s prying eyes, a cohort of most unusual occupants sleep.
—Shi En Kim, AZCentral.com, 20 Feb. 2026
Videos of the shooting have spread online and appear to show Good, 37, being told to get out of her car, with one agent walking and prying at the door handle.
—Melissa Gomez, Los Angeles Times, 8 Jan. 2026
That was what led the princess to send her staff away and sneak the BBC crew in for the interview, isolating herself in the face of Bashir’s prying questions.
—Theresa Braine, Mercury News, 26 Nov. 2025
The New Jersey native also teased some new music on the way after some prying from Hudson.
—Michael Saponara, Billboard, 28 Oct. 2025
The prying end also serves as a nail puller, box cutter and bottle opener.
—Ben Coxworth
october 07, New Atlas, 7 Oct. 2025
The film stages its riot of activity as hard-nosed honesty, but its portrait is ultimately as ginned-up and inexact as the fictional news broadcast’s lurid prying.
—Richard Lawson, IndieWire, 5 Sep. 2025
Other prying eyes won’t have access to the documents, either.
—Zoe Guy, Vulture, 4 Sep. 2025
Stackcommerce Team, PC Magazine, 13 Apr. 2026
Entering his third season at the helm, Counsell is seemingly more comfortable with the uniqueness of managing the Cubs, from the day games to the prying media to the quirkiness of the ballpark, which can favor hitters one day and pitchers the next.
—Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 26 Mar. 2026
There are those who close their social media accounts, those who move to a ranch away from prying eyes, and those who decide to address the issue.
—Alessandra De Tommasi, Vanity Fair, 23 Mar. 2026
Under constant surveillance from informants and prying neighbors, the pair must conceal their enduring love while navigating a society on the brink of collapse, and the promise of newfound freedom.
—Elsa Keslassy, Variety, 18 Mar. 2026
Quantum measurement disturbance, ordinarily a nuisance, would serve as a shield against prying eyes.
—Ben Brubaker, Quanta Magazine, 18 Mar. 2026
After being hounded by paparazzi for their entire courtship, the duo managed to pull off a secret wedding, away from prying eyes, on a secluded island in Georgia.
—Claudia Williams, Architectural Digest, 5 Mar. 2026
The floor-to-ceiling glass doors that line the west-facing wall to make the most of a stunning hillside view are easily blocked from light and prying eyes by curtains at the push of a button.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 Mar. 2026
Of course, the Flyers got a nice return for Laughton last season, prying a 2027 first-round pick and forward Nikita Grebenkin out of Toronto.
—Kevin Kurz, New York Times, 2 Mar. 2026
Adjective
But inquiring into the specifics of familial dynamics is impudent and prying -- and a line of questioning that most people would be happy to avoid answering themselves.
—Nicholas Ivor Martin and Jacobina Martin, oregonlive, 4 Feb. 2023
But inquiring into the specifics of familial dynamics is impudent and prying — and a line of questioning that most people would be happy to avoid answering themselves.
—Jacobina Martin, Washington Post, 4 Feb. 2023
The Google Nest Hub (7/10, WIRED Recommends) is a great smart display with no camera (and therefore no risk of unwanted prying eyes).
—Brenda Stolyar and Medea Giordano, WIRED, 28 Nov. 2022
To my mind, however, there’s a difference between a Google or a Facebook, which provide valuable services in return for their prying eyes, and an app that serves a single, ostensibly benign purpose — parking validation.
—Los Angeles Times, 12 Nov. 2021
Carry two phones While anti-spy software may be effective in staving off the prying eyes of the Chinese government, not everyone knows how to install it.
—Jane Li, Quartz, 6 Aug. 2019
Its purpose: to train librarians to implement secure protocols on their own web services, and to teach members of the community to evade the prying eyes of governments, corporations, and criminal hackers.
—Eoin O'Carroll, The Christian Science Monitor, 18 Oct. 2017
One reason Russians have loaded up on passports is that Cypriot citizenship helps them avoid the prying eyes of their government and pay lower taxes.
—Yalman Onaran, Bloomberg.com, 11 May 2017
Noun
Palm Springs Has Still Got It This desert enclave has long been many things at once—a spa town, a sanctuary away from Hollywood's prying eyes, a design capital, a shoo-in for winter sun.
—Jason Sheeler, Condé Nast Traveler, 20 Feb. 2026
But in the quietest corner of the 10-acre sanctuary, away from the public’s prying eyes, a cohort of most unusual occupants sleep.
—Shi En Kim, AZCentral.com, 20 Feb. 2026
Videos of the shooting have spread online and appear to show Good, 37, being told to get out of her car, with one agent walking and prying at the door handle.
—Melissa Gomez, Los Angeles Times, 8 Jan. 2026
That was what led the princess to send her staff away and sneak the BBC crew in for the interview, isolating herself in the face of Bashir’s prying questions.
—Theresa Braine, Mercury News, 26 Nov. 2025
The New Jersey native also teased some new music on the way after some prying from Hudson.
—Michael Saponara, Billboard, 28 Oct. 2025
The prying end also serves as a nail puller, box cutter and bottle opener.
—Ben Coxworth
october 07, New Atlas, 7 Oct. 2025
The film stages its riot of activity as hard-nosed honesty, but its portrait is ultimately as ginned-up and inexact as the fictional news broadcast’s lurid prying.
—Richard Lawson, IndieWire, 5 Sep. 2025
Other prying eyes won’t have access to the documents, either.
—Zoe Guy, Vulture, 4 Sep. 2025
Verb
Its Duplicate Finder clears clutter, advanced renaming options make your files easy to track, and military-grade encryption protects everything from prying eyes.
—Stackcommerce Team, PC Magazine, 13 Apr. 2026
Entering his third season at the helm, Counsell is seemingly more comfortable with the uniqueness of managing the Cubs, from the day games to the prying media to the quirkiness of the ballpark, which can favor hitters one day and pitchers the next.
—Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 26 Mar. 2026
There are those who close their social media accounts, those who move to a ranch away from prying eyes, and those who decide to address the issue.
—Alessandra De Tommasi, Vanity Fair, 23 Mar. 2026
Under constant surveillance from informants and prying neighbors, the pair must conceal their enduring love while navigating a society on the brink of collapse, and the promise of newfound freedom.
—Elsa Keslassy, Variety, 18 Mar. 2026
Quantum measurement disturbance, ordinarily a nuisance, would serve as a shield against prying eyes.
—Ben Brubaker, Quanta Magazine, 18 Mar. 2026
After being hounded by paparazzi for their entire courtship, the duo managed to pull off a secret wedding, away from prying eyes, on a secluded island in Georgia.
—Claudia Williams, Architectural Digest, 5 Mar. 2026
The floor-to-ceiling glass doors that line the west-facing wall to make the most of a stunning hillside view are easily blocked from light and prying eyes by curtains at the push of a button.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 Mar. 2026
Of course, the Flyers got a nice return for Laughton last season, prying a 2027 first-round pick and forward Nikita Grebenkin out of Toronto.
—Kevin Kurz, New York Times, 2 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for prying
Adjective
-
Welcome to Bon Appétit Bake Club, a community of curious bakers.—
Shilpa Uskokovic,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
13 Apr. 2026
-
Essentially Shackleton became famous for failing – which does seem to be a somewhat curious American cultural persuasion.—
Neil Senturia,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
13 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The café is serviceable and busy all the time.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
11 Apr. 2026
-
Grand Central Terminal, one of the city’s busiest transit hubs, serves not only daily commuters, but also draws thousands of tourists each day.—
Matt Lavietes,
NBC news,
11 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Police interviewed Brian Hooker again Monday morning following a three-hour questioning Friday, his attorney, Terrel Butler, said.—
Alaa Elassar,
CNN Money,
13 Apr. 2026
-
Hooker was arrested for questioning while police investigate Lynette’s disappearance.—
Peter D'Abrosca,
FOXNews.com,
12 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Izabella, who also goes by Izzy, is a wonderful girl with an inquisitive, outgoing, and confident personality.—
MARE Staff,
Boston Herald,
12 Apr. 2026
-
Soon a tunnel between the ships, then a meeting, with a friendly, inquisitive alien who looks like a sort of craggy spider/crab, whom Grace dubs Rocky.—
Katie Walsh,
Twin Cities,
21 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The film is a quiet yearning romance alongside an interrogation of Nazi appeasement, class, and duty.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
15 Apr. 2026
-
Police stopped the interrogation after Cody’s mother arrived and invoked his right to an attorney, the affidavit said.—
Cristóbal Reyes,
The Orlando Sentinel,
15 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Ali said McCurdy has a way of assisting them, too, without being intrusive.—
Janice Neumann,
Chicago Tribune,
5 Apr. 2026
-
The LitterLens takes a less intrusive approach.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
1 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
During the past few tax seasons, the organization has offered sessions every other week, drawing 100 to 500 people, and has seen a surge in calls, emails, and social media inquiries.—
Jacqueline Munis,
Fortune,
16 Apr. 2026
-
Potempa said while the direct cost of the tags themselves was relatively minimal, the program required ongoing staff time to process applications, maintain records, respond to inquiries and coordinate between Village Hall and the Police Department.—
Chuck Fieldman,
Chicago Tribune,
16 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The couple couldn’t risk sending their event programs to be printed at a copier shop in case a nosy shop worker snuck a photo of the nuptial details to a reporter.—
Kate Storey,
Rolling Stone,
5 Mar. 2026
-
Other states have increasingly weighed how to shield their residents from the consequences of invisible but ever-growing mountains of information amassed by smartphone apps, traffic cameras and nosy household appliances.—
Seth Klamann,
Denver Post,
2 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Prying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/prying. Accessed 18 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
